In Summary:
- The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 to win their first NBA championship
- Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered a severe Achilles injury early in the game, affecting Indiana’s performance
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named Finals MVP, making history as one of the few players to win regular season MVP, scoring title, and the NBA Finals in the same season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have claimed the 2025 NBA Championship, beating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in a dramatic Game 7. The game saw a heartbreaking Achilles injury to Pacers’ star Tyrese Haliburton, but the Thunder, led by a sensational Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who earned Finals MVP, dominated the second half. This victory marks a historic first title for OKC and caps off an incredible season for the young team.
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Haliburton’s Heartbreak and Pacers’ Valiant Fight
The game began as a tight contest, reflecting the back-and-forth nature of the entire series.
However, disaster struck for Indiana early in the first quarter when their star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, went down with a non-contact injury to his lower right leg.
His father later confirmed it was an Achilles injury, ending the 25-year-old’s game and season in heartbreaking fashion.
Despite the crushing blow, the Pacers, fueled by Eastern Conference Finals MVP Pascal Siakam (who led the team with 10 points at halftime) and a gritty defense, rallied to take a surprising 48-47 lead into halftime.
Players like Andrew Nembhard (9 points) and Bennedict Mathurin (8 points) stepped up, and veteran guard TJ McConnell also provided a spark off the bench.
“What happened with Tyrese? All of our hearts dropped,” said an emotional Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, while also expressing confidence in Haliburton’s full recovery.
Thunder’s Second-Half Surge and Defensive Masterclass
As the second half began, the Thunder looked like a completely different team.
After trailing at halftime, they quickly found their rhythm, with Chet Holmgren giving them the lead.
The turning point came when the “Big “3”—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams—hit three consecutive long-range shots, transforming a tied game into a nine-point lead.
Oklahoma City’s defense, the league’s best in the regular season, became even more suffocating against the short-handed Pacers.
They held Indiana scoreless for the first 4:31 of the fourth quarter, extending their lead to a commanding 22 points.
While the Pacers showed their characteristic determination, cutting the deficit to 10 points late in the game, the mountain was too steep without their injured leader.
The Thunder’s ability to force 23 turnovers and score 29 points off them proved crucial.
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Gilgeous-Alexander’s Historic MVP Performance
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the undisputed leader of the Thunder’s championship run.
He finished Game 7 with a game-high 29 points and earned Finals MVP honors, becoming the first player since LeBron James in 2013 to win both regular season and Finals MVP awards.
SGA also joined an elite group of only three other players in NBA history—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O’Neal—to win the league MVP trophy, the scoring title, and the NBA Finals in the same season.
After the game, an ecstatic Gilgeous-Alexander told ABC’s Lisa Salters, “It doesn’t feel real. So many hours, so many moments, so many emotions, so many nights of disbelief, so many nights of belief. It’s crazy to know we are all here. But this group worked for it, and this group put in the hours and deserved this.”
His young son, Ares, even stole hearts by sleeping through the postgame celebration. The Thunder’s victory marks a triumphant end to a remarkable season, solidifying their status as NBA champions.
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